Method of determining the location of the FFT window and the delay spread for the platinum broadcast channel estimator

ABSTRACT

In one embodiment, the invention comprises a channel estimation method, comprising determining a FFT window position, and calculating a delay spread. In another embodiment, the step of determining a FFT window position comprises setting an initial position of the FFT window, computing an energy for each tap, time averaging said energy for each tap, comparing an average energy of each tap with a first threshold multiplied by the average energy of all taps, comparing the average energy of each tap with a second threshold multiplied by a maximum average energy in alias components, updating the set of paths if the average energy of the tap is greater than said second threshold multiplied by the maximum average energy in alias components; and refining the FFT window position.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY UNDER 35 U.S.C. §119

The present Application for Patent claims priority to Provisional Application No. 60/672,573 entitled “METHOD OF DETERMINING THE LOCATION OF THE FFT WINDOW AND THE DELAY SPREAD FOR THE PLATINUM BROADCAST CHANNEL ESTIMATOR,” filed Apr. 18, 2005, and assigned to the assignee hereof and hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for synchronizing a multiple access system. More specifically, the present invention relates to a novel and improved method and apparatus to synchronizing a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) system, an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) system or a hybrid of two such systems.

2. Background

In the prior art, either CDMA searcher information or Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) channel estimation information is used for synchronization. A CDMA searcher looks for sectors and paths. By identifying the arrival time of various paths from various sectors, the CDMA searcher correlates the received signal with the pilot signal. Paths can be differentiated based on the differences in chip delay. i.e., different paths have different delays.

With ODFM channel estimation, all of the paths are represented by an impulse response, ^h. Channel estimates may be used to combine the paths. The channel delay spread is the span or width of the impulse response which equals the difference between the maximum and minimum path delays.

OFDM is a multicarrier transmission technique, which divides the available spectrum into many carriers. High-speed data signals are divided into tens or hundreds of lower speed signals. These lower speed signals are transmitted in parallel over respective frequencies within a Radio Frequency (RF) signal that are known as sub-carrier frequencies (“sub-carriers”). Each subcarrier is modulated by one of the low rate data streams. Thus, the ODFM signal is a sum of many signals with different subcarrier frequencies.

In addition, all of the carriers are orthogonal to one another. Because the carriers are orthogonal, each carrier has an integer number of cycles over a symbol period. Due to this, the spectrum of each carrier has a null at the center frequency of each of the other carriers in the system. See FIG. 1. As a results, there is minimal interference between the carriers, allowing then to be spaced as close as theoretically possible.

A discrete Fourier transform is used for baseband processing of the OFDM signal. The discrete Fourier transform is implemented as an Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) and a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) that modulates and demodulates parallel data blocks, respectively. The set of subcarriers generated during one transform defines an OFDM symbol. The subcarriers are serially transmitted over the channel of the time samples generated by the FFT. The duration of the OFDM symbol, which is the same as that of the subcarrier symbol, is thus equal to the time window of the transform.

Generating an OFDM signal in this manner ensures that the OFDM signal will retain its subcarrier orthogonality property when transmitted through a nondispersive channel. However, most channels are dispersive. Thus, significant time and/or frequency dispersion are introduced into the transmitted signal. These impairments introduce Intercarrier Interference (ICI) and Intersymbol Interference (ISI) and which can destroy the orthogonality of the subcarriers.

To protect against time dispersions including multipath, a guard interval equal to the length of the channel impulse response is introduced between successive OFDM symbols. The cyclic extended OFDM symbol thus consists of a guard interval and a useful part in which information is transmitted. The guard interval is commonly implemented by cyclic extension of the IFFT output (i.e., cyclic retransmission of part of the periodic transform). To maintain transmission efficiency, system designers typically endeavor to limit the guard interval to less than one quarter of the useful OFDM symbol duration.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a typical OFDM transmitter according to the prior art. An OFDM transmitter 10 receives a stream of baseband data bits 12 as its input. These input data bits 12 are immediately fed into an encoder 14. Encoder 14 typically uses a block and/or convolutional coding scheme to introduce error-correcting and/or error-detecting redundancy into the input bits 12.

In an OFDM communication system, data is communicated in a series of time domain bursts. To form each time domain burst, an IFFT is applied by a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) 16 to a group of frequency domain symbols producing digital time-domain OFDM symbols. DSP 16 also performs additional spectral shaping on the digital time-domain OFDM symbols. In addition, it adds a cyclic prefix or guard interval

Next, the digital time-domain OFDM symbols are converted to an analog signal in a digital-to-analog converter 20 and then converted to an Intermediate Frequency (IF) in IF transmitter 42. This composite IF OFDM signal is then passed into Radio Frequency (RF) transmitter 40 which then upconverts the IF OFDM signal to a desired selectable carrier frequency prior to final amplification and propagation across a transmission medium. Upconversion is typically achieved by mixing the IF signal with a variable frequency oscillator signal. The carrier frequency is varied by varying the oscillator frequency.

FIG. 3 illustrates that an OFDM signal is transmitted as blocks of user data separated by guard intervals known as cyclic prefixes. A cyclic prefix is a copy of a portion of an adjacent block of user data and is used to reduce Inter-Symbol Interference (ISI) caused by multipath fading. More particularly, only cyclic prefixes, as opposed to user data, are affected by ISI, as is known by those skilled in the art. Thus the removal of cyclic prefixes by an OFDM receiver removes the effects of ISI from the received OFDM signal.

In the prior art, CDMA systems have synchronized using CDMA searcher information, while ODFM systems have achieved synchronization using discrete frequency-domain channel estimator information. A CDMA searcher uses Pseudo Noise (PN) correlation to identify multipaths and multiple sectors. An OFDM channel estimator uses the frequency response at the pilot tone locations to identify the channel impulse response. However, a CDMA searcher is less effective when detecting weak or low power signals. If a multipath component is not detected, it will not be included in the signal demodulation and interference suppression. As a result, the signal-to-noise ratio will be lower. On the other hand, OFDM channel estimation suffers from aliasing if the channel delay spread exceeds the number of pilot tones. This is the case even if the pilot tones of adjacent OFDM symbols are staggered, so as to admit channel estimation whose length is twice the number of pilot tones.

SUMMARY

In view of the above, the described features of the present invention generally relate to one or more improved systems, methods and/or apparatuses for communicating speech or data on multipath channels.

In one embodiment, the invention comprises a channel estimation method, comprising determining a FFT window position, and calculating a delay spread.

In another embodiment, the step of determining a FFT window position comprises setting an initial position of the FFT window, computing an energy for each tap, time averaging said energy for each tap, comparing an average energy of each tap with a first threshold multiplied by the average energy of all taps, comparing the average energy of each tap with a second threshold multiplied by a maximum average energy in alias components, updating the set of paths if the average energy of the tap is greater than said second threshold multiplied by the maximum average energy in alias components; and refining the FFT window position.

In another embodiment, the present invention comprises a receiver to estimate a channel, comprising an RF receiver having an input and an output, an IF receiver having an input and an output, wherein the input is operably connected to an output of the RF receiver, an analog-to-digital converter having an input and an output, wherein the input is operably connected to the output of the IF receiver, a decoder having an input and an output, and a processor having an input and an output, wherein the input is operably connected to the output of the analog-to-digital converter and the output is operably connected to said input of the decoder and the processor comprises memory, and software comprising instructions stored in the memory, wherein the receiver is adapted to execute the instructions stored in the memory comprising determining a FFT window position, and calculating a delay spread.

In another embodiment, the present invention comprises a processor to estimate a channel, comprising memory, and software comprising instructions stored in said memory, wherein the processor is adapted to execute the instructions stored in the memory comprising determining a FFT window position, and calculating a delay spread.

Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, claims, and drawings. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given here below, the appended claims, and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a typical OFDM signal within an OFDM channel bandwidth showing the frequency domain positioning of OFDM sub-carriers according to the prior art;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a typical OFDM transmitter according to the prior art;

FIG. 3 is an illustration of an OFDM signal according to the prior art;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the OFDM receiver of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a top level flowchart disclosing steps taken by the present method and apparatus;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart which discloses the steps taken when setting the initial position of the FFT window;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart which discloses the steps taken to refine the FFT window position;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart which discloses the steps taken in an embodiment in which the average energy of each tap is compared with a first threshold multiplied by the minimum average energy of all the taps;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart which discloses the steps taken in an embodiment in which the average energy of each tap is compared with a first threshold multiplied by the maximum average energy of all the taps; and

FIG. 10 is a flowchart which discloses the steps taken in an embodiment in which an energy window hypothesis called hyp(τ) is used to revise initial FFT window estimates Lmin′ and Lmax′ which are then used in conjunction with AveE(L) to determine the channel estimation and FFT window positions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF

The word “illustrative” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment described herein as “illustrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments.

The present method and apparatus is applicable to a system where CDM and OFDM waveforms are time-division multiplexed in the same transmit signal. The present method and apparatus uses both CDMA searcher information and channel estimation to improve the synchronization performance in the presence of unconstrained delay spread by synchronizing the OFDM symbols and determines the channel spread delay for channel estimation. It combines both the CDMA searcher information from the CDMA pilot and the channel estimates from OFDM pilot tones. Furthermore, the present method and apparatus uses OFDM channel estimation to detect weak paths and a CDMA searcher for alias resolution.

For ODFM channel estimation, pilot tones are inserted into the signal. Pilot tones contain known data at certain known frequencies. An OFDM communication apparatus calculates a frequency response estimated value of the propagation path by performing time-frequency conversion on a reception signal through an FFT circuit. In addition, it performs a complex multiplication on the received signal with the pilot symbol whose value is known to the receiver. This provides an estimate of the channel frequency response at the frequency associated with the pilot tone. By measuring the channel at the known frequencies and performing an IFFT on the pilot signal, the timing can be inferred. With the above approach, an OFDM symbol with P pilot tones can be used to estimate up to P taps in the channel impulse response. Suppose the position of the pilot tones in adjacent tones are staggered with respect to (w.r.t.) to each other. If the pilot positions alternate between two configurations on even and odd pilot tones, then we may exploit the staggered structure to estimate a channel impulse response of length 2P taps. While this approach works well at low Doppler spread (slow fading channels), the estimation procedure may induce uncancelled alias taps with a separation of the P chips at high Doppler spread (fast fading channels). In either case, if the channel impulse response exceeds a length of P taps, then the OFDM channel estimator is unable to distinguish between causal and anti-causal channel taps in the channel impulse response. The present invention proposes methods to mitigate the uncancelled alias problem for channels with high Doppler, and solves the causal/anti-causal tap resolution problem for channels with large delay spread.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an OFDM receiver 68 according to the present invention. At the OFDM receiver 68 an RF receiver 70 downconverts the RF OFDM-modulated carrier to obtain a received IF OFDM signal. The received IF OFDM signal is downconverted to IF from the carrier frequency in an IF receiver 72. The OFDM signal is then passed into an Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) 92, respectively, where it is digitized. Next, the cyclic prefix is removed and an FFT is applied to recover the original frequency domain symbols in the DSP/FFT processor 100.

Decoder 102 recovers the transmitted data bits from the sequences of frequency-domain sub-symbols that are delivered to it from DSP 100. The decoder 102 decodes the frequency-domain sub-symbols to obtain a stream of data bits 104. The data bits 104 should match the stream of data bits 12 that were fed into the OFDM transmitter 10.

The OFDM receiver 68 determines the exact timing of the beginning of each symbol within a data frame to properly receive the OFDM signal that has been transmitted across a channel and to demodulate the symbols from the received signal. If correct timing is not known, the receiver 68 may not be able to reliably remove the cyclic prefixes and correctly isolate individual symbols before computing the FFT of their samples. When this occurs, sequences of sub-symbols demodulated from the OFDM signal may be incorrect, and the transmitted data bits may not be accurately recovered.

The following steps are taken by the present channel estimation method and apparatus to determine the FFT window position and the channel delay spread. In FIG. 4, the DSP 100 of the present invention is shown as including memory 44. The steps discussed below and disclosed in the flowcharts of FIGS. 5-9 are stored as instructions located in software or firmware 42 located in memory 44. The memory 44 can be located in the processor 100 or separately.

Setting the Initial Position of FFT Window (200)

The first step of the present method and apparatus involves setting the initial position of the FFT window. Let d_(first) be the timing of the earliest, or first path, identified by the searcher, and d_(last) be that of the last path. Based on the searcher results, back off N_(cursor) chips from the earliest arriving path 210. The back-off is used to account for the spreading effect of the pulse shaping filters, the transmit shaping filter and the receiver matched filter, which shape the spectrum of the waveform so that it is consistent with the spectral mask. Thus, N_(cursor) is the assumed length of the precursor (or post-cursor) due to pulse shaping. In one embodiment, N_(cursor) (which can also be referred to as N_(backoff)) is 6 chips. This is the starting point of the FFT.

Next, define parameters Lmax and Lmin 220:

Lmax=(N_(cursor)+max(N_(cp), Δd+K₊), 2P−K⁻)−1, where Ncp is the number of cyclic prefix chips. The cyclic prefix is specific to an ODFM waveform. It consists of extra chips used in the transmit waveform to ensure the orthogonality of tones in a time-dispersive manner. P is the number of pilot tones per ODFM symbol. In one embodiment, the number of pilot tones=64, where the total number of ODFM tones=320. In a second embodiment, P=40 for the 360 tone mode. K₊ and K⁻ are constants. In one embodiment, both K₊ and K⁻ equal 16 chips. Δd=d_(last)−d_(first). Lmax is the index of the last significant component in the estimated channel impulse response.

Lmin=Lmax−(2P−1). Lmin is the index of the first significant component in the estimated channel impulse response.

Next, calculate the channel impulse response from its frequency response (measured on the OFDM pilot tones that are staggered on adjacent OFDM symbols), by assuming that the channel impulse response is confined to the delay range [Lmin, Lmax]. In this manner, the CDMA searcher is used to resolve the causal and anti-causal components of the channel impulse response.

The estimated channel impulse over a window ranging in size from Lmin to Lmax ^h(Lmin:Lmax), where the impulse function ^h is calculated for each value of L from Lmin to Lmax 230. h(Lmin) represents the channel impulse response at the minimum or beginning point of the window. h(Lmax) represents the channel impulse response at the maximum or ending point of the window. This will yield 2P tap time-domain channel estimates if the difference between Lmin and Lmax=2P. In one embodiment. P=64 and the total number of taps=128.

Compute the Energy for Each Tap (300)

Next, compute the energy for each tap from i=Lmin to i=Lmax using the formula: E(Lmin:Lmax)=|^h(Lmin:Lmax)|², where |^h(Lmin:Lmax)|² represents the squared absolute values of the impulse response for that channel from i=Lmin to Lmax. Time Average the Energy for Each Tap (400)

Next, time average the energy for each tap from i=Lmin to i=Lmax by using a l-tap IIR filter represented by the formula, (1−1/Tc)*AveE(Lmin:Lmax)+1/Tc*E(Lmin:Lmax) with time constant Tc, expressed in units of the OFDM channel estimate update interval. AveE(Lmin:Lmax)=(1−1/Tc)*AveE(Lmin:Lmax)+1/Tc*E(Lmin:Lmax).

Tc is inversely proportional to the filter bandwidth BW. The larger the Tc, the smaller the bandwidth BW, which represents better noise rejection along with slower tracking.

Compare the Average Energy of Each Tap with a First Threshold Multiplied by the Mean Average Energy over all the Taps (500)

Compare the average energy each tap, L, with a first threshold θ₁ multiplied by the mean average energy over all the taps, Lmin to Lmax, where [1/(Lmax−Lmin+1)×ΣAveE(i) for i=Lmin to Lmax] equals the mean average energy over all the taps. AveE(L)>θ₁×[1/(Lmax−Lmin+1)×ΣAveE(i) for i=Lmin to Lmax].

Determine if the average energy for tap L, AveE(L), is greater than first threshold θ₁ multiplied by the mean average energy over all the taps 530. If the average energy for tap L, AveE(L), is greater than first threshold θ₁ multiplied by the mean average energy over all the taps, a second comparison is made. If the energy for tap L, AveE(L), is less, then that tap is not included in the set of paths, S, used to compute the signal 550.

Compare the Average Energy of Each Tap with a Second Threshold Multiplied by the Maximum Average Energy in the Potential Per-Symbol Alias Components, Separated by ±P Channel Taps (600)

Next, compare the average energy each tap, L, with a second threshold θ₂ multiplied by the maximum average energy in the potential per-symbol alias components, separated by ±P channel taps, where [1/(Lmax−Lmin+1)×Max (AveE(L+P), AveE(L−P))] equals the maximum average energy in the potential per-symbol alias components, separated by ±P channel taps. AveE(L)>θ₂×[1/(Lmax−Lmin+1)×Max(AveE(L+P), AveE(L−P))].

This threshold test helps to eliminate ghost paths at L resulting from uncancelled alias components associated with the (L+P)^(th) or (L−P)^(th) channel tap in the actual channel impulse response. Uncancelled alias components may be induced by rapid channel variation between adjacent OFDM symbols in a high Doppler spread channel

Determine if the average energy for tap L, AveE(L), is greater than the second threshold θ₂ multiplied by the maximum average energy in the potential per-symbol alias components, separated by ±P channel taps 630. If the energy for tap L, AveE(L), is less, then that tap is not included in the set of paths, S, used to compute the signal 650. If the average energy for tap L, AveE(L), is greater, then that tap is included in the set of paths, S, used to compute the signal. Thus, S is updated to include this path 660.

In one embodiment, θ₁=−22 db and θ₂=−17 db.

Define the Final FFT Window Position (700)

Define m_(min)=min {S} and n_(max)=max {S}, where n_(min) is the earliest path location in set S, n_(max) is the latest path location in set S, and S=the set of paths included when calculating the signal (710). n_(min) determines the starting point of the FFT window on the receiver side.

If n_(max)−n_(min)+2N_(cursor)≦N_(cp) (720), then the starting point for FFT position is n ₀ =n _(min) −N _(cursor) (725)

If not, then the starting point for FFT position is n ₀ =n _(min)−(N _(cp) −n _(max) +n _(min))/2 (730) Calculate Delay Spread for the Channel Estimation (800)

The delay spread for the channel estimation is calculated using the following formula: ^L=n _(max) −n _(min)+2N _(cursor)

Alternatively, greater noise suppression can be achieved in the channel estimator by zeroing out the nonsignificant channel taps. This can be achieved by including the taps corresponding to only the precursors and postcursors around the taps in S.

Another Embodiment in which the Average Energy of Each Tap is Compared with a First Threshold Multiplied by the Minimum Average Energy over all the Taps (500′)

Step 500 in the above method can be replaced by step 500′ in which the average energy each tap, L, is compared with a first threshold β₁ multiplied by the minimum average energy over all the taps, Lmin to Lmax, where min {AveE(i)} equals the minimum average energy over all the taps. AveE(L)>β₁×min {Ave E(i)} for Lmin≦i≦Lmax.

Determine if the average energy for tap L, AveE(L), is greater than the first threshold β₁ multiplied by the minimum average energy of all the taps 530′. If the average energy for tap L, AveE(L), is greater than first threshold β₁ multiplied by the minimum average energy over all the taps, a second comparison is made. If the energy for tap L, AveE(L), is less, then that tap is not included in the set of paths, S, used to compute the signal because the signal will be below the noise floor and is too weak to use 550′.

Another Embodiment in which the Average Energy of Each Tap is Compared with a First Threshold Multiplied by the Maximum Average Energy over all the Taps (500″)

Step 500 in the above method can be replaced by step 500″ in which the average energy each tap, L, is compared with a first threshold Ω₁ multiplied by the maximum average energy over all the taps, Lmin to Lmax, where max {AveE(i)} equals the maximum average energy over all the taps. AveE(L)>Ω₁×max {AveE(i)} for Lmin≦i≦Lmax.

Determine if the average energy for tap L, AveE(L), is greater than the first threshold Ω₁ multiplied by the maximum average energy over all the taps 530″. If the average energy for tap L, AveE(L), is greater than first threshold Ω₁ multiplied by the maximum average energy over all the taps, a second comparison is made. If the energy for tap L, AveE(L), is less, then that tap is not included in the set of paths, S, used to compute the signal 550″. This insures that paths with weak signals are not selected.

Revise the Initial FFT Window Position Using the Energy Window Hypothesis (450)

In this embodiment, it is assumed that the actual span of the channel impulse response is less than P taps from the location of the initial tap location, which is unknown to the receiver. In this embodiment, the energy window hypothesis, called hyp(τ), is defined. The energy over a window whose starting point is τ chips from Lmin and ending point is Lmin+τ+P−1 (modulo 2P) may be represented by the equation: hyp(τ)=ΣAveE((i−Lmin)mod 2P+Lmin) for i=Lmin+τ to Lmin+τ+P−1.

The estimates of Lmin and Lmax may be revised as follows: Lmin′=Lmin+argmax{hyp(τ)}, Lmax′=Lmin′+P−1.

Block 500 and all the subsequent steps may be executed with these revised values of Lmin′ and Lmax′, in place of the original Lmin and Lmax.

It is noted that this block 450 is an optional block. See FIG. 10.

Those of skill in the art would understand that information and signals may be represented using any of a variety of different technologies and techniques. For example, data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols, and chips that may be referenced throughout the above description may be represented by voltages, currents, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or particles, optical fields or particles, or any combination thereof.

Those of skill would further appreciate that the various illustrative logical blocks, modules, circuits, and algorithm steps described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, or combinations of both. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability of hardware and software, various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps have been described above generally in terms of their functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the overall system. Skilled artisans may implement the described functionality in varying ways for each particular application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the present invention.

The various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented or performed with a general purpose processor, a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in the alternative, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration.

The steps of a method or algorithm described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be embodied directly in hardware, in a software module executed by a processor, or in a combination of the two. A software module may reside in Random Access Memory (RAM), flash memory, Read Only Memory (ROM), Electrically Programmable ROM (EPROM), Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM (EEPROM), registers, hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. An illustrative storage medium is coupled to the processor such the processor can read information from, and write information to, the storage medium. In the alternative, the storage medium may be integral to the processor. The processor and the storage medium may reside in an ASIC. The ASIC may reside in a user terminal. In the alternative, the processor and the storage medium may reside as discrete components in a user terminal.

The previous description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein. 

1. A channel estimation method, comprising: receiving an RF signal in an RF receiver; downconverting the received RF signal to obtain a received IF signal in an IF receiver; converting the received IF signal into a digital signal in an analog to digital converter; determining a FFT window position of the converted digital signal in a digital signal processor; and calculating a delay spread, wherein said step of determining a FFT window position comprises: setting an initial position of said FFT window; computing an energy for each tap; time averaging said energy for each said tap; comparing an average energy of each said tap with a first threshold; comparing said average energy of each said tap with a second threshold multiplied by a maximum average energy in alias components; updating said set of paths if said average energy of said tap is greater than said second threshold multiplied by said maximum average energy in alias components; and defining said FFT window position.
 2. The method according to claim 1 ,wherein said step of comparing an average energy of each said tap with a first threshold comprises: comparing an average energy of each said tap with the first threshold multiplied by a mean average energy over all said taps.
 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of comparing an average energy of each said tap with a first threshold comprises: comparing said average energy of each said tap with the first threshold multiplied by a minimum average energy over all said taps.
 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said-step of comparing an average energy of each said tap with a first threshold comprises: comparing said average energy of each said tap with the first threshold multiplied by a maximum average energy over all said taps.
 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of setting an initial position of an FFT window comprises: backing off from an earliest arriving path; defining an index of a first component of an estimated channel response; defining an index of a last component of an estimated channel response; and calculating a channel response over said FFT window from said index of said first component of said estimated channel response to said index of said last component of said estimated channel response.
 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of defining said FFT window position comprises: defining an earliest path location; defining a latest path location; setting a starting point of said FFT window to said earliest path location minus a backoff if a difference between said earliest and said latest path locations plus twice said backoff is less than or equal to a cyclic prefix; and setting a starting point of said FFT window to said earliest path location minus one half of {(a sum of (a cyclic prefix and said earliest path location)) minus (said latest path location)} if said difference between said earliest and said latest path locations plus twice said backoff is greater than said a cyclic prefix.
 7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of computing an energy for each tap comprises squaring absolute values of a channel response for each tap.
 8. A channel estimation method, comprising: receiving an RF signal in an RF receiver; downconverting the received RF signal to obtain a received IF signal in an IF receiver; converting the received IF signal into a digital signal in an analog to digital converter; determining a FFT window position of the converted digital signal in a digital signal processor; and calculating a delay spread, wherein said step of determining a FFT window position comprises: setting an initial position of said FFT window; computing an energy for each tap; time averaging said energy for each said tap; comparing an earliest path hypothesis for each said tap with a first threshold multiplied by a mean average energy over all said taps; comparing said average energy of each said tap with a second threshold multiplied by a maximum average energy in alias components; updating said set of paths if said average energy of said tap is greater than said second threshold multiplied by said maximum average energy in alias components; and defining said FFT window position.
 9. A receiver to estimate a channel, comprising: an RF receiver having an input and an output; an IF receiver having an input and an output, wherein said input is operably connected to an output of said RF receiver; an analog-to-digital converter having an input and an output, wherein said input is operably connected to said output of said IF receiver; a decoder having an input and an output; and a processor having an input and an output, wherein said input is operably connected to said output of said analog-to-digital converter and said output is operably connected to said input of said decoder and said processor comprises memory, and software comprising instructions stored in said memory, wherein said receiver is adapted to execute said instructions stored in said memory comprising determining a FFT window position; and calculating a delay spread, wherein said determining a FFT window position instruction comprises: setting an initial position of said FFT window; computing an energy for each tap; time averaging said energy for each said tap; comparing an average energy of each said tap with a first threshold; comparing said average energy of each said tap with a second threshold multiplied by a maximum average energy in alias components; updating said set of paths if said average energy of said tap is greater than said second threshold multiplied by said maximum average energy in alias components; and defining said FFT window position.
 10. The receiver according to claim 9, wherein said comparing an average energy of each said tap with a first threshold comprises: comparing an average energy of each said tap with the first threshold multiplied by a mean average energy over all said taps.
 11. The receiver according to claim 9, wherein said comparing an average energy of each said tap with a first threshold comprises: comparing said average energy of each said tap with the first threshold multiplied by a minimum average energy over all said taps.
 12. The receiver according to claim 9, wherein said comparing an average energy of each said tap with a first threshold comprises: comparing said average energy of each said tap with the first threshold multiplied by a maximum average energy over all said taps.
 13. The receiver according to claim 9, wherein said setting an initial position of an FFT window instruction comprises: backing off from an earliest arriving path; defining an index of a first component of an estimated channel response; defining an index of a last component of an estimated channel response; and calculating a channel response over said FFT window from said index of said first component of said estimated channel response to said index of said last component of said estimated channel response.
 14. The receiver according to claim 9, wherein said defining said FFT window position instruction comprises: defining an earliest path location; defining a latest path location; setting a staffing point of the FFT window to said earliest path location minus a backoff if a difference between said earliest and said latest path locations plus twice said backoff is less than or equal to a cyclic prefix; and setting a staffing point of the FFT window to said earliest path location minus one half of {(a sum of (a cyclic prefix and said earliest path location)) minus (said latest path location)} if said difference between said earliest and said latest path locations plus twice said backoff is greater than said a cyclic prefix.
 15. The receiver according to claim 9, wherein said computing an energy for each tap instruction comprises squaring absolute values of a channel response for each tap.
 16. A receiver to estimate a channel, comprising: an RF receiver having an input and an output; an IF receiver having an input and an output, wherein said input is operably connected to an output of said RF receiver; an analog-to-digital converter having an input and an output, wherein said input is operably connected to said output of said IF receiver; a decoder having an input and an output; and a processor having an input and an output, wherein said input is operably connected to said output of said analog-to-digital converter and said output is operably connected to said input of said decoder and said processor comprises memory, and software comprising instructions stored in said memory, wherein said receiver is adapted to execute said instructions stored in said memory comprising: determining a FFT window position; and calculating a delay spread, wherein said determining a FFT window position instruction comprises: setting an initial position of an FFT window; computing an energy for each tap; time averaging said energy for each said tap; comparing an earliest path hypothesis for each said tap with a first threshold multiplied by a mean average energy of all said taps; comparing said average energy of each said tap with a second threshold multiplied by a maximum average energy in alias components; updating said set of paths if said average energy of said tap is greater than said second threshold multiplied by said maximum average energy in alias components; and defining said FFT window position.
 17. A processor to estimate a channel, comprising: memory; and software comprising instructions stored in said memory, wherein said processor is adapted to execute said instructions stored in said memory comprising determining a FFT window position; and calculating a delay spread, wherein said determining a FFT window position instruction comprises: setting an initial position of said FFT window; computing an energy for each tap; time averaging said energy for each said tap; comparing an average energy of each said tap with a first threshold; comparing said average energy of each said tap with a second threshold multiplied by a maximum average energy in alias components; updating said set of paths if said average energy of said tap is greater than said second threshold multiplied by said maximum average energy in alias components; and defining said FFT window position.
 18. The processor according to claim 17, wherein said comparing an average energy of each said tap with a first threshold comprises: comparing an average energy of each said tap with the first threshold multiplied by a mean average energy over all said taps.
 19. The processor according to claim 17, wherein said comparing an average energy of each said tap with a first threshold comprises: comparing said average energy of each said tap with the first threshold multiplied by a minimum average energy over all said taps.
 20. The processor according to claim 17, wherein said comparing an average energy of each said tap with a first threshold comprises: comparing said average energy of each said tap with the first threshold multiplied by a maximum average energy over all said taps.
 21. The processor according to claim 17, wherein said setting an initial position of an FFT window instruction comprises: backing off from an earliest arriving path; defining an index of a first component of an estimated channel response; defining an index of a last component of an estimated channel response; and calculating a channel response over said FFT window from said index of said first component of said estimated channel response to said index of said last component of said estimated channel response.
 22. The processor according to claim 17, wherein said defining said FFT window position instruction comprises: defining an earliest path location; defining a latest path location; setting a staffing point of the FFT window to said earliest path location minus a backoff if a difference between said earliest and said latest path locations plus twice said backoff is less than or equal to a cyclic prefix; and setting a staffing point of the FFT window to said earliest path location minus one half of {(a sum of (a cyclic prefix and said earliest path location)) minus (said latest path location)} if said difference between said earliest and said latest path locations plus twice said backoff is greater than said a cyclic prefix.
 23. The processor according to claim 17, wherein said computing an energy for each tap instruction comprises squaring absolute values of a channel response for each tap.
 24. A processor to estimate a channel, comprising: memory; and software comprising instructions stored in said memory, wherein said processor is adapted to execute said instructions stored in said memory comprising determining a FFT window position; and calculating a delay spread, wherein said determining a FFT window position instruction comprises: setting an initial position of said FFT window; computing an energy for each tap; time averaging said energy for each said tap; comparing an earliest path hypothesis for each said tap with a first threshold multiplied by a mean average energy over all said taps; comparing said average energy of each said tap with a second threshold multiplied by a maximum average energy in alias components; updating said set of paths if said average energy of said tap is greater than said second threshold multiplied by said maximum average energy in alias components; and defining said FFT window position.
 25. A receiver means to estimate a channel, comprising: an RF receiver means having an input and an output; an IF receiver means having an input and an output, wherein said input is operably connected to an output of said RF receiver means; an analog-to-digital converter means having an input and an output, wherein said input is operably connected to said output of said IF receiver means; a decoder means having an input and an output; and a processor means having an input and an output, wherein said input is operably connected to said output of said analog-to-digital converter means and said output is operably connected to said input of said decoder means and said processor means comprises memory means, and software comprising instructions stored in said memory means, wherein said receiver means is adapted to execute said instructions stored in said memory means comprising determining a FFT window position; and calculating a delay spread, wherein said determining a FFT window position instruction comprises: setting an initial position of said FFT window; computing an energy for each tap; time averaging said energy for each said tap; comparing an average energy of each said tap with a first threshold comparing said average energy of each said tap with a second threshold multiplied by a maximum average energy in alias components; updating said set of paths if said average energy of said tap is greater than said second threshold multiplied by said maximum average energy in alias components; and defining said FFT window position.
 26. The receiver means according to claim 25, wherein said comparing an average energy of each said tap with a first threshold comprises: comparing an average energy of each said tap with the first threshold multiplied by a mean average energy over all said taps.
 27. The receiver means according to claim 25, wherein said comparing an average energy of each said tap with a first threshold comprises: comparing said average energy of each said tap with the first threshold multiplied by a minimum average energy over all said taps.
 28. The receiver means according to claim 25, wherein said comparing an average energy of each said tap with a first threshold comprises: comparing said average energy of each said tap with the first threshold multiplied by a maximum average energy over all said taps.
 29. The receiver means according to claim 25, wherein said setting an initial position of an FFT window instruction comprises: backing off from an earliest arriving path; defining an index of a first component of an estimated channel response; defining an index of a last component of an estimated channel response; and calculating a channel response over said FFT window from said index of said first component of said estimated channel response to said index of said last component of said estimated channel response.
 30. The receiver means according to claim, wherein said defining said FFT window position instruction comprises: defining an earliest path location; defining a latest path location; setting a starting point of said FFT window to said earliest path location minus a backoff if a difference between said earliest and said latest path locations plus twice said backoff is less than or equal to a cyclic prefix; and setting a starting point of said FFT window to said earliest path location minus one half of {(a sum of (a cyclic prefix and said earliest path location)) minus (said latest path location)} if said difference between said earliest and said latest path locations plus twice said backoff is greater than said a cyclic prefix.
 31. The receiver means according to claim 25, wherein said computing an energy for each tap instruction comprises squaring absolute values of a channel response for each tap.
 32. A receiver means to estimate a channel, comprising: an RF receiver means having an input and an output; an IF receiver means having an input and an output, wherein said input is operably connected to an output of said RF receiver means; an analog-to-digital converter means having an input and an output, wherein said input is operably connected to said output of said IF receiver means; a decoder means having an input and an output; and a processor means having an input and an output, wherein said input is operably connected to said output of said analog-to-digital converter means and said output is operably connected to said input of said decoder means and said processor means comprises memory means, and software comprising instructions stored in said memory means, wherein said receiver means is adapted to execute said instructions stored in said memory means comprising determining a FFT window position; and calculating a delay spread, wherein said determining a FFT window position instruction comprises: setting an initial position of said FFT window; computing an energy for each tap; time averaging said energy for each said tap; comparing an earliest path hypothesis for each said tap with a first threshold multiplied by a mean average energy over all said taps; comparing said average energy of each said tap with a second threshold multiplied by a maximum average energy in alias components; updating said set of paths if said average energy of said tap is greater than said second threshold multiplied by said maximum average energy in alias components; and defining said FFT window position.
 33. A processor means to estimate a channel, comprising: memory means; and software comprising instructions stored in said memory means, wherein said processor means is adapted to execute said instructions stored in said memory means comprising determining a FFT window position; and calculating a delay spread, wherein said determining a FFT window position instruction comprises: setting an initial position of said FFT window; computing an energy for each tap; time averaging said energy for each said tap; comparing an average energy of each said tap with a first threshold; comparing said average energy of each said tap with a second threshold multiplied by a maximum average energy in alias components; updating said set of paths if said average energy of said tap is greater than said second threshold multiplied by said maximum average energy in alias components; and defining said FFT window position.
 34. The processor means according to claim 33, wherein said comparing an average energy of each said tap with a first threshold comprises: comparing an average energy of each said tap with the first threshold multiplied by a mean average energy over all said taps.
 35. The processor means according to claim 33, wherein said comparing an average energy of each said tap with a first threshold comprises: comparing said average energy of each said tap with the first threshold multiplied by a minimum average energy over all said taps.
 36. The processor means according to claim 33, wherein said comparing an average energy of each said tap with a first threshold comprises: comparing said average energy of each said tap with the first threshold multiplied by a maximum average energy over all said taps.
 37. A processor means to estimate a channel, comprising: memory means; and software comprising instructions stored in said memory means, wherein said processor means is adapted to execute said instructions stored in said memory means comprising determining a FFT window position; and calculating a delay spread, wherein said determining a FFT window position instruction comprises: setting an initial position of said FFT window; computing an energy for each tap; time averaging said energy for each said tap; comparing an earliest path hypothesis for each said tap with a first threshold multiplied by a mean average energy over all said taps; comparing said average energy of each said tap with a second threshold multiplied by a maximum average energy in alias components; updating said set of paths if said average energy of said tap is greater than said second threshold multiplied by said maximum average energy in alias components; and defining said FFT window position.
 38. The processor means according to claim 33, wherein said setting an initial position of an FFT window instruction comprises: backing off from an earliest arriving path; defining an index of a first component of an estimated channel response; defining an index of a last component of an estimated channel response; and calculating a channel response over said FFT window from said index of said first component of said estimated channel response to said index of said last component of said estimated channel response.
 39. The processor means according to claim 33, wherein said defining said FFT window position instruction comprises: defining an earliest path location; defining a latest path location; setting a starting point of the FFT window to said earliest path location minus a backoff if a difference between said earliest and said latest path locations plus twice said backoff is less than or equal to a cyclic prefix; and setting a starting point of the FFT window to said earliest path location minus one half of {(a sum of (a cyclic prefix and said earliest path location)) minus (said latest path location)} if said difference between said earliest and said latest path locations plus twice said backoff is greater than said a cyclic prefix.
 40. The processor means according to claim 33, wherein said computing an energy for each tap instruction comprises squaring absolute values of a channel response for each tap.
 41. A storage medium having stored thereon processor-executable software instructions configured to cause a processor to perform steps comprising: determining a FFT window position; and calculating a delay spread, wherein said step of determining a FFT window position comprises: setting an initial position of said FFT window; computing an energy for each tap; time averaging said energy for each said tap; comparing an average energy of each said tap with a first threshold; comparing said average energy of each said tap with a second threshold multiplied by a maximum average energy in alias components; updating said set of paths if said average energy of said tap is greater than said second threshold multiplied by said maximum average energy in alias components; and defining said FFT window position.
 42. The storage medium of claim 41, wherein comparing an average energy of each said tap with a first threshold comprises comparing an average energy of each said tap with the first threshold multiplied by a minimum average energy over all said taps.
 43. The storage medium of claim 41, wherein comparing an average energy of each said tap with a first threshold comprises comparing an average energy of each said tap with the first threshold multiplied by a maximum average energy over all said taps.
 44. The storage medium of claim 41, wherein comparing an average energy of each said tap with a first threshold comprises comparing an average energy of each said tap with the first threshold multiplied by a mean average energy over all said taps.
 45. The storage medium of claim 41, wherein the stored processor-executable software instructions are configured to cause a processor to perform further steps comprising: backing off from an earliest arriving path; defining an index of a first component of an estimated channel response; defining an index of a last component of an estimated channel response; and calculating a channel response over said FFT window from said index of said first component of said estimated channel response to said index of said last component of said estimated channel response.
 46. The storage medium of claim 41, wherein the stored processor-executable software instructions are configured to cause a processor to perform further steps comprising: defining an earliest path location; defining a latest path location; setting a starting point of said FFT window to said earliest path location minus a backoff if a difference between said earliest and said latest path locations plus twice said backoff is less than or equal to a cyclic prefix; and setting a starting point of said FFT window to said earliest path location minus one half of {(a sum of (a cyclic prefix and said earliest path location)) minus (said latest path location)} if said difference between said earliest and said latest path locations plus twice said backoff is greater than said a cyclic prefix.
 47. The storage medium of claim 41, wherein the stored processor-executable software instructions are configured to cause a processor to perform further steps comprising: squaring absolute values of a channel response for each tap. 